By the end of August 2025, the slide in freight rates for 40-foot container transport not only continued but accelerated, most notably on Asia–Europe trades. According to Drewry’s World Container Index published on 28 August, the sharpest fall was recorded on the Shanghai–Rotterdam route, where rates dropped to 2,661 dollars per feu, a 10% week-on-week decrease (down 312 dollars). On a two-week comparison with 14 August, the fall was even steeper at 16.2% (down 515 dollars). The route towards the Mediterranean also shows clear weakness, with Shanghai–Genoa standing at 2,842 dollars, down 5% (136 dollars) over the week and 7.8% (242 dollars) in the second half of the month. In the opposite direction, Rotterdam–Shanghai, where rates are normally far lower, movements were more limited at 467 dollars per feu, a 2% weekly dip (down 10 dollars).
The transatlantic trade appears more resilient. On the Rotterdam–New York route, rates held steady at 1,956 dollars, with only marginal changes, flat on a weekly basis and up 11 dollars compared with two weeks earlier. In the reverse direction, New York–Rotterdam inched up by 1% to 845 dollars per feu, an increase of 6 dollars week-on-week.
The transpacific connection has weakened again. Shanghai–Los Angeles rates fell to 2,332 dollars, down 3% (80 dollars) from the previous week and 6.5% (162 dollars) over the last fortnight. The decline was even sharper towards the US East Coast, with Shanghai–New York dropping 5% to 3,291 dollars per feu (down 172 dollars week-on-week and 9.5% over two weeks). In the opposite direction, Los Angeles–Shanghai remained stable at 714 dollars, virtually unchanged from the previous week (up 1 dollar).
The composite index, which covers all routes, closed the week at 2,119 dollars per feu, marking a 6% fall (down 131 dollars) compared with seven days earlier and a 9.8% decline in the second half of August. Drewry noted that the fall reflects the end of front-loaded imports by US retailers in response to tariffs and an oversupply of capacity on Asia–Europe services. Outlooks remain cautious: the market is expected to continue sliding in the coming weeks, with further pressure on the supply–demand balance during the second half of 2025. The future trajectory will depend largely on the evolution of US tariffs and the announced penalties targeting Chinese vessels, both of which will sustain a high level of freight rate volatility.
